1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to image recording systems and methods and more specifically to image recording systems and methods for recording and displaying a plurality of images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image recorders for recording television programs and the like are well known. Although such recording devices typically employ a tape medium for recording images, there has been a recent shift toward the use of high-capacity hard disk storage devices. These new recorder types are capable of not only receiving television signals but are also capable of storing images captured by digital and video cameras on the built-in hard disks. A recorder of this type can also obtain a television program listing by connecting to the Internet. By using this television program listing, a user can easily program and record a television program. The user can also view images captured by digital cameras and video cameras recorded on a medium.
However, conventional image recorders are known to have various disadvantages. For example, images of recorded television programs and images of content recorded by different types of imaging systems (e.g., digital camera or digital video camera) cannot be viewed in relation to time content. Therefore, the chronological relationship between the images captured by different types of imaging systems or the chronological relationship between the recorded images of television programs is not known.
These images also cannot be viewed in relation to the viewer's schedule. For this reason, the chronological relationship between the user's future schedule and the television program the user wants to watch is unknown. As a result, the user may not be able to record the desired television program or may record a television program that has already been recorded. Moreover, the user may inadvertently print out a previously printed recorded image, because no records of prior printouts were kept.